Quote from: themadhippy on June 01, 2020, 04:59:25 PM
Seems weird to me,as home computers get faster softwares going backwards ,cloud storage, online software, almost sounds like a thin client.

There is nothing new in IT really - the name changes but the function stays the same. 

Kind regards

Paddy

Quote from: Paddy on June 01, 2020, 07:06:30 PM

As for the licenses on eBay etc. - be aware that the legality of these is questionable and are often excess corporate and/or OEM licenses being sold on.  This is in breach of Microsoft's licensing T&Cs.  Buyer beware.

Yes that would be my concern too, I also believe many of them are OEM licences being sold outside of legit T&C.  If the price seems too good to be true, then smell a rat I'm afraid.  As an IT professional I wouldn't consider them.

I use 365 and happily pay the annual subscription - usually buying it when Amazon have an offer (you can hold on to a new key until your old subscription expires).  I particular like OneDrive - every user gets their own terabyte of storage.  Using 365 and OneDrive on my Android phone, tablet and pc means that all documents, spreadsheets, photos etc are accessible and editable across the 3 platforms.  365 is, I think, Microsoft's business model going forward so I get on board telling myself "at least it's not Apple".

I've often wondered about the legality of the £5 licences on eBay for Office, Windows etc. Who is in breach, the seller or the purchaser? There are so many thousands of sellers that I can't imagine Microsoft ever managing to do much about it.

Both are seller and purchaser are likely to be in breach - seller for breaking terms of their licence and purchaser for improperly using said licence if they are from volume licensing arrangements.

I'm happy to take that 'chance'. I'll just plead ignorance. Comes as second nature to me 

I forgot to add to this before so here goes. Ebay usually ban/delete the seller after they have been alerted as yes, they are often in breach of MS terms etc. If after purchase you are unable to leave feedback due to eBay deleting them you can then raise a dispute and try to claim your money back, say it didn't work. This is usually successful and your money is returned so it's free in the end. As I said before, I'm happy to take a chance purchasing MS Office this way but I also understand if others are not.

This company, I believe, was known as Software Geeks. I had my windows 10 and Office 2010 off them. They sell genuine licenses, but you have to download the software and if you want it on a CD, you need to burn it yourself.
https://theunitysoft.com/?wmc-currency=GBP

Quote from: Trainfish on July 24, 2020, 01:32:12 AM
I forgot to add to this before so here goes. Ebay usually ban/delete the seller after they have been alerted as yes, they are often in breach of MS terms etc. If after purchase you are unable to leave feedback due to eBay deleting them you can then raise a dispute and try to claim your money back, say it didn't work. This is usually successful and your money is returned so it's free in the end. As I said before, I'm happy to take a chance purchasing MS Office this way but I also understand if others are not.

Seriously? What you are essentially encouraging should tell anyone about the legality of it.  The fact that you don't get caught doesn't stop it being illegal...

Yes, seriously. As I said, I'm willing to take the risk and it's up to others whether they are. Doing 71mph on a motorway is also illegal but I bet the majority of us have done it. I think the grown-ups can decide whether they want to do what I do themselves.

This will also be my last comment on this issue as I am aware of some people disagreeing (as shown on this thread) and also people who are happy to purchase this way (as shown by the PMs received). I don't want to see a slanging match about it.

I kinda feel that buying a licence in that way is one thing (I've done it), but then exploiting a loophole, and lying that it didn't work in order to get your money back fraudulently is a whole new level of dishonesty.

The company I work for probably has in excess of 100,000 PCs world wide,  this gives the company somewhat better buying power than most.  So all employees were given The option of buying office pro,  and the latest windows for $10 each. Not surprisingly I've taken advantage of this... All official MS offers..

The at work computers are now mostly on Office 365, this has at times slowed the intranet,  down and the internet even though we have direct fibre to the outside world.
Our recent 365 offer was £35 ish pounds a year ( it's an odd amount as a conversion from US dollars.)

Personally I prefer to keep my data at home,  note that we have a NAS system,  a main PC,  a laptop PC and two tablet computers.  Data is well backed up.  Which reminds me that's due again.

Oh why do we have so many PCs at work?   Well for example, we all have our own desk with a PC,  but in the main lab we have 40 PCs running test equipment,  looked after by half a dozen people, calibrating electronic test equipment, in my lab I have another 3 PCs,  I calibrate the equipment, that calibrates the equipment, that calibrates the equipment we make or service.